SARATOGA SPRINGS— Visitor restrictions adopted last month to protect patients from the flu were lifted Thursday at Saratoga Hospital.

The worst influenza season in years brought a rush of patients to local medical facilities. To control the spread of illness, Saratoga Hospital banned children 12 and under from visits starting Jan. 11, soon after Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in New York.

There's since been a "dramatic decrease" in flu cases said Nicole Johnson, who works with the hospital's infection control department.

"Part of getting better is having your loved ones at your bedside," said Johnson, though people experiencing symptoms of illness are still being asked to postpone their visits to the hospital.

The last time Saratoga Hospital put a limit on visitations was in 2009 during the H1N1 outbreak.